


These Heavy Chains

by SennenDoggo93



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Age Difference, M/M, Non-Canon Relationship, Non-Consensual Touching, Yandere Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-10 23:34:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18670663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SennenDoggo93/pseuds/SennenDoggo93
Summary: The conditions were simple. As long as Eren was in Levi's custody, the top brass would leave all decisions regarding him entirely at the captain's discretion.





	1. Boot Camp

When Eren dreamt he saw grey eyes; cold and sharp like the glint of light on a knife's edge. As they bore into him, his mind raced with terror and a name rang out in the darkness until it ebbed away into a chorus of haunting echoes.

_Levi..._  
_Levi..._  
_Levi..._

“No!”

Eren jerked himself awake with a violent thrash, throwing off the blanket. A dream..? As he lay there upon the bed in a daze, his eyes roamed around to sweep his surroundings.

_Where am I?_

The pale light of early morning ghosted through barred windows that had been hacked into the brickwork as though as an afterthought. A few comfortable chairs, a cabinet full of books, a bedside table with an oil lamp and an old worn rug were all that furnished the room, giving it that military air of stern practicality.

An ache pounded at Eren's temples, his loose linen nightshirt clinging to him with cold sweat. Now he remembered. His teeth gritted and his fists knotted in the blanket.

“Damn it!” he cursed, trembling with anger and shock. The tribunal... It had been a disaster. To think Eren had actually hoped that his Titan shifting ability would elevate him in the eyes of the Commander, giving him the chance to prove himself a valuable asset that could turn the tide in humanity's favour.

_“... too unpredictable...”_

_“... a liability...”_

_“... Monster...”_

Tears pattered upon the blanket. If killing Titans wasn't his purpose, then what good was he to anyone? He should have been out there on the front-lines with his comrades, not curled up here at scout headquarters like a caged pet. He had barely even been given time to say goodbye to Mikasa, Armin and the others before being bundled out of the courtroom and borne away in the back of a coach, hands cuffed, head reeling.

_Levi, you bastard – why didn't you defend me?_

The captain had believed in him, hadn't he? Even when Eren lost control and feared that the Titan rage was too great, Levi had pulled him close and whispered that he would make sure the young cadet remained by his side no matter what...

The back of Eren's neck suddenly prickled and – without knowing why – he spun round to see the legendary captain reclining against the wall, arms folded.

“That's a nasty expression,” the older man remarked. “Remember who it was that saved you from execution, brat.”

“Saved me?”

Eren surged to his feet, his blood boiling.

“You stabbed me in the back!" he raged. "You knew my dream was to slay all the Titans, and yet you kept your mouth shut when they decided I was too dangerous to be accepted into the Regiment!”

“Idiot,” Levi growled, crossing the room to him. “You think you can be of any use to us the way you are now? You've lost control more than once and it took the entire squad to take you down both times.”

Eren flared. How could Levi betray him like this? He was the strongest weapon at humanity's disposal! For the military to throw Eren aside like a blunted knife beggared belief, and now even Levi refused to see that gambling on the Titan shifter made infinitely more sense than cowering behind walls forever. He had been so close to breaking out into the world beyond, to seeing the seas, mountains, forests and deserts depicted in books he'd once believed to be mere fairy-tales... Now Levi had snatched it away.

“You wanted this to happen,” Eren hissed. “You didn't say anything because you wanted to me to miss the Expedition and get taken into custody. All you cared about was getting me locked up so you could do whatever the hell you –”

Eren stiffened when he felt the captain's strong grip around his neck. He gasped at the sight of Levi's eyes – the same grey eyes from his dream. Cold, empty and utterly terrifying – like pools of black ice that opened up beneath you and swallowed you in seconds. Even with his advantage in height and the might of his Titan form, Eren knew perfectly well that Levi could easily overpower him – kill him if he wanted to.

“We've been apart for some time,” the older man conceded. “You've been enjoying a little too much freedom. And now with this new special power of yours... I think you've forgotten who's in charge here.”

“You –” Eren hissed. He felt like he was drowning, his words lost in a haze of anger and confusion. The next thing he knew he was being shoved down into the mattress, the captain straddling him so that Eren was pinned between his legs, throat still trapped in that vice-like grip.

“My orders,” Levi grunted, “are to get you completely under my control within three years. If you've any chance of becoming humanity's weapon, you need training. Discipline. I'm going to whip you into a well-behaved, obedient monster.”

Eren writhed beneath him, the pressure mounting in his lungs. Three years? Was he really going to be trapped here with this depraved old man for that long? He had known since his enrolment that the captain had an uncanny fixation towards him, and there had been rumours for a long time that Levi preferred male company. Initially, Eren had felt honoured knowing that the man whom he'd idolized growing up sought out his friendship above anyone else's. He had overlooked the possessive gleam in those grey eyes for so long, not wanting to believe his interest in him stemmed from anything other than a mentor's pride and faith in his abilities.

How foolish he'd been.

The pressure around Eren's throat suddenly eased. Levi smiled down at him wanly, lifting his hand to run a thumb along his tear-stained cheek.

“Do you hate me now, Eren?” he asked softly. “Even knowing I acted to save your life? I'll admit I'm happy I no longer have to worry about you slipping away from me or losing you to someone else's affections, but that's just an added perk.”

Eren tried to fire back with a retort but his words caught in his throat, reducing him to coughing and swearing hoarsely. Levi's hand moved from his cheek to seize a handful of his hair, tugging on it to pull the cadet's head up from the mattress ever so slightly.

“Eren, who do you belong to?”

 _Bastard!_ Eren seethed. He belonged to no-one! As if being imprisoned by the Titans wasn't torture enough – now Levi wanted to pin him down and possess him. To deny someone's freedom like this filled him with a cold, desperate fury.

“Eren.”

Emboldened, Eren jerked his head up and spat,

“Screw you!”

Levi let out a dry huff of amusement and leaned down so that his wisps of hair brushed Eren's face. Smirking, he whispered,

“You tried, but you were such a scared little boy you couldn't get it up, remember? As usual, your captain had to do all the work.”

Eren's face flushed a particularly wrathful shade of scarlet and he twisted to throw a punch up at his captor. Levi sighed and drew back swiftly, leaving Eren to scramble up from the bed.

“Since this is your first day at Levi's boot camp, I'll overlook all the trouble you've given me. Starting tomorrow, however, you're going to learn who's the boss here."

 


	2. Good Boy

 

By the time the sun began to peek over the horizon the next morning, Eren had already discarded two escape plans. He knew there was no way Levi would leave him alone for a moment longer than was necessary which meant this short window of solitude would be invaluable for plotting his next move.

 

Rolling over, he stretched and gave an experimental flick of the chains binding his ankles to the iron bedposts. Honestly, he marvelled at the fact that Levi hadn't come to him during the night to take advantage of his confinement. For hours he had lain awake, half-expecting to feel his unwelcome presence slip beneath the covers beside him like in the early days back at the barracks. The memory of being startled awake in the darkness of his bunk on many occasions made Eren's jaws clench. Those strong hands covering his mouth and holding him down, the weight of a body covering his own as lips found his ear and huskily ordered him to relax and stay quiet...

 

Eren planted his face in his pillow. The events of the past few weeks were still fogging his brain; he needed time to process before he could plan. He decided to abandon further scheming and closed his eyes to get some rest before morning call. After all, what could he do right now with these damn chains on? He felt himself just beginning to dip into sleep when the sudden clamour of boots in the hall set him back on edge. The next thing he knew, his blanket and all its warmth was whipped away from him and a hot, breathy voice drawled in his ear,

 

“Eren. Up and at 'em.”

 

Eren groaned. Early rises were one thing, but _this_ was just cruel.

 

After straightening out his room and completing the typical two mile morning run around the courtyard, Eren sagged in the mess hall where one of the few on-staff cooks brought him a bowl of oatmeal with some bread and bacon. As he ate, he observed the people milling about between the corridors and sighed when he didn't recognize any of them. It seemed the only people remaining at HQ were the salty old cooks and some of Commander Zoe's researchers who appeared to be packing up their equipment and leaving.

 

Everyone, he noticed, seemed eager to avoid him. Any time he caught someone's eye, they immediately left the room. Were they afraid of him? Or had Levi simply instructed them to keep a wide berth? Most likely the latter, Eren concluded: god forbid he might have some positive social interaction that would interfere with the captain's hellish training program. A crippling sense of isolation was no doubt integral.

 

Levi came to fetch Eren just as he finished breakfast. As they stepped out into the sunlit grounds, the sudden bolt of adrenaline that always sparks an impulsive decision zinged through Eren's body like an electric current. The awareness of being suddenly thrust into the open elements with no restraints kicked his brain into escape mode. While he by no means underestimated the captain's abilities, the opportunity was too good to pass up! If he managed to pull a fast one on Levi, maybe he could swipe some manoeuvre gear from the compound and make a beeline for the wall of the perimeter. Unfortunately for Eren, all it took was one look at his expression for the eagle-eyed captain to know his intentions. Within seconds, Eren lay sprawled on his stomach, face down in the dirt with Levi crouched on top of him, pinning him with his weight and twisting his arm behind his back.

 

“Just when I thought you were going to be a good boy,” he lamented, shaking his head. Eren seethed; back to the internal drawing board, it seemed...

 

The morning consisted of grueling training exercises involving manoeuvre gear and on-ground fitness – nothing beyond standard cadet training. However, the true purpose of this was not lost on Eren. While maintaining his military performance mattered, he knew it was really about conditioning him to obey Levi without question. After all the history between them, he didn't doubt that Levi had insisted on having Eren all to himself in order to properly instil in him a firm reverence for his captain's authority.

 

However, this only fuelled Eren to seize every opportunity to rebel. He cursed, he loitered, he talked back – infractions that would have earned him a hundred push-ups or a black eye back at the barracks. Levi, he would soon learn, had a different approach in mind.

 

*

 

For a man who faced death on a daily basis and bore the weight of all humanity's hope on his shoulders, Levi often commended himself for the moderate degree of patience he had somehow retained over the years.

 

Eren, Eren, Eren... He loved the little shit with a raw, desperate passion he had not known himself capable of, but _god-damn_ if he wasn't testing his limits! At one point, it had taken all of Levi's self-restraint to keep himself from hauling the brat over his shoulder and chaining him to the bed down in the basement. It would have almost been worth it, just to see the sweet flash of fear in those eyes as he was imprisoned, regret for all his swaggering audacity dawning in his lovely pools of green as he realized he was now going to suffer his captain's punishment.

 

In the end, Levi had resisted. Eren had simply been tasked with cleaning out the stables on his own as penance for his half-assed attempt at washing the upper floors instead. Levi had stood for a while to admire his charge's young frame as he toiled among the hay and horses, grunting and flexing those slim muscles with a renewed furious energy.

 

Levi had to force himself to turn away. Even now, as he escorted Eren back to the main compound in the breezy twilight, he couldn't get the image out of his head. God, the effect this boy had on him... It was at once maddening and also intoxicating, a dizzying dichotomy that at times made him feel like he was losing his senses. It had affronted him at first, how a surly kid young enough to be his own had managed to become the focus of his every waking moment. The burning in his eyes when he raged about the Titans, the naked honesty with which he expressed his emotions, the loyalty, stubbornness and stupidity that guided his actions... All of it drove Levi crazy. Oh, he was insolent, but that was fine. Perfect, even. After all, Levi always had liked a challenge, and Eren Yeager was definitely proving to be just that.

 

And yet, Levi knew he could not assert his dominance the way he wanted to. As much as he longed to lock Eren away and bend him to his will, he still needed his love. He needed him to know Levi would do anything for him, that he was _safe_ with Levi, that only in his care could he be well, happy and loved – all things Levi wanted for the brat. Eren had loved him once; Levi knew he could make him love him again. Eren was his and he wouldn't give up until the brat not only accepted that, but loved it, embraced it – _revelled_ in belonging to Levi. It would just take time, and this was where his legendary patience came in.

 

*

 

Later that evening, when the oil lamps were lit and the portcullis drawn, Eren flung himself into one of the sofas of the mess hall and heaved a dramatic sigh. He ached all over, stiff and sore from his neck to his knees. It had been a rigorous first day, but then Captain Pervert Ackerman had warned him that things were going to be tough around here. Lolling his head back onto the cushion, he saw an upside-down view of Levi entering the room behind him. Eren opened his mouth to make a sassy remark but choked on it when the captain loosened his cravat, freeing the collar and exposing his chiselled collarbone.

 

_Still hot as hell,_ blurted Eren's thoughts before he could smother them. He felt his cheeks heat up and turned away, fuming with himself. How could he still be attracted to the man who was now his jailer? It didn't matter that Levi had been his hero, mentor and... more. He had betrayed Eren's trust just so he could have him locked up like a princess in a tower to have his way with. It would take a lot more than some seductive words and exposed skin to crumble his resolve.

 

Or so he hoped.

 

The sofa dipped as Levi took his place next to him – far too close for Eren's liking. He leaned in a little closer, taking Eren in with those grey eyes and causing him to flinch back in alarm.

 

“W-what are you doing?” he startled.

 

“You're not still mad at me, are you?”

 

That voice... Deep, purring and undulating with dark intentions. Eren gripped tightly to his anger. He couldn't allow himself to be swept away.

 

“Of course!” he flared. “You sold me out! I should be in the Expedition right now with my comrades.”

 

Levi let out a bored sigh.

 

“Eren... You were never going to be a part of the Expedition. I told you, I had to work my ass off just to keep you alive. Would you rather I'd left you to die in that cell?”

 

“That's not...”

 

Eren's fists clenched in his lap. He couldn't bear to think of his commanding officers making the decision to execute him. Levi had to be lying. Even if he wasn't, then anything had to be better than _this,_ being given to Levi like an unruly dog for him to tame and keep quiet.

 

“If that was to be my fate,” Eren muttered, “then... yes, I wish you had left me.”

 

A shrug of the captain's shoulders.

 

“Too bad.”

 

Eren stared at him, taken aback.

 

“W-what?”

 

“I love you, Eren,” Levi professed, his words dwindling into a soft, rumbling moan of pleasure. Eren felt the heat of the older man's body as he closed the distance between them, an arm sliding surreptitiously along the back of the couch behind Eren's head. “If you think I'm gonna let you go off and die on me, then you're an even dumber brat than I thought. I don't care if you've got a death wish. The fact is I can't live without you, so you're not going anywhere.”

 

Any bitter jabs Eren had left evaporated on his tongue as Levi wrapped his arms around him and drew him tightly against his chest. Aghast, Eren struggled and shouted, but quieted suddenly when he felt a rough hand rake through his hair. Without quite knowing why, he felt the hot sting of tears in his eyes and most of his strength seemed to drain from his bones. Hanging his head, he groaned in despair.

 

“Let me go... Please, let me go,” he pleaded.

 

“Eren...”

 

There was a smirk in Levi's voice, and Eren hated himself for the warmth that filled his belly when he felt those lips press a soft kiss to his temple. Was he really so weak as to be undone this easily? He made another half-hearted attempt to squirm free, but before he could manage Levi abruptly hooked his hands under his arms and lifted Eren to his feet with him.

 

“Time for bed,” he declared.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can never tell if my pacing is too fast or slow, so please let me know if you think it or anything else could use improvement. 
> 
> Plenty more possessive Levi to come in the coming chapters, so hang onto your butts! As always, thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed.

**Author's Note:**

> Because yandere Levi is the best kind of Levi!
> 
> This is my first fic on Ao3 after migrating from Fanfiction.net. If this and any others I post do well I'll probably upload them to my tumblr eventually, so please comment/ follow or just send me a message if you guys liked it. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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